Protect My Crimson, Darling
by fishylishy
Summary: -AU, /not/ all human- Bella is thrust into the world of vampires and is hunted by a huge pack of them. When Edward Cullen and his family vow to protect her--and she falls in love with a pack member AND Edward--things get complicated. Mainly BxE, BxJ. R&R!


_Protect my crimson, darling,_

_Never let me fall._

_Protect my crimson, darling,_

_From them-the wraths of night,_

_Save it all for yourself…_

My breath came out in huffs and I quickened my pace. I knew how close I was to being killed, how the _pack_ of vampires wanted my blood and that they were closing in. Jacob, Sam…Seth? Those were their names, as I recalled. They had introduced themselves to me to fool me.

Hot tears flushed down my face and I let out a siren wail. The alleys of Seattle, black and stone and dirty, were inhabited on either side, but the only response I received from the windows above was shouting.

I fumbled for the card in my jean's pocket. That man I meant today—eighteen, attending college, just as I, had given me his card. Said that if I ever needed help, I could call him.

The card wasn't drenched by my sweat, luckily. The number, printed in his fine cursive, was easy to read. I reached into my other pocket and yanked out a quarter. I swerved onto the sidewalk, the glow of the tall and steel and glass buildings on either side of me made me feel safe.

I wouldn't be safe for long. They were tracking me. I inserted the quarter, praying that the machine would work. The keypad of the pay phone glowed to life and I punched in his number.

"Cullen Residence—can I help you?" It was a high, chirpy and bell-like voice that answered. "Oh, Edward, I think it is for _you._" I heard the line crackling as the phone was passed on.

"Hello?" His voice, as I remembered, was like unruffled velvet. Fear melted into relief as he spoke. "Bella, is that you? Bella, what's wrong?"I didn't remember giving him my name at Starbucks on campus today, but I shrugged it off. It didn't matter.

"I'm at the corner of Parkingson and 7th, near the mouth of the alley. People…_things_ are following me." I didn't want to tell him that I knew that they were vampires…not yet, not until I was safe. So then I wouldn't risk being hung up on.

"Things?"

"Please hurry!" I wailed. I heard the beeping of a car coming to life, and the protesting of tires as someone raced out of a driveway. "Please, please come. I would have called 911, but…they…" I wasn't a good liar, and my excuse was lame. "They have a source in the cop's office."

"Stay on the phone with me, do you understand? I'll be there in thirty seconds _flat_." There was the accelerating of an engine on the other line. I exhaled in relief, and my eyes flickered to the alley.

Ten dark figures, too dark for me to see anything but the glow of their neon red eyes. I screamed as loud as I could and I heard the crackling of static in the phone, echoing off of my scream. "_They're HERE!"_ I yelled.

A car ripped from the flow of traffic—a shiny, sleek black Mustang GT—and fishtailed so that the passenger door was open and ready on the curb, earning a chorus of honks. I didn't need anyone to tell that it was him, and I dropped the phone, breaking into a sprint for the car. Inches from the door, my feet caught on the pavement and I slid, half way into the car. Cold arms yanked me in and the door slammed shut behind me.

"I hope you're not a cop," He groaned. "Buckle up." The engine whined and I didn't dare glance at his speed. I lurched up in my seat, strapping myself in. The irony of that was hysterical—my father, Charlie, was a cop and lived in a small town called Forks. It was in state, but quite a way from here. My thoughts didn't linger there in the rain-forest like place for long.

I sighed, leaning my head against the leather and closing my eyes. "Bella, I promise not to laugh—what and who were they?" I peeked an eye open and stared at him. He was gorgeous, I hadn't noticed his fine details at the coffee shop. Ruffled, shaggy bronze hair that hung limply around his forehead, sharp details, sheet pale skin, thin and athletic, and his eyes…his eyes were the color of molten gold.

"Vampires!" I blurted without thinking. He didn't roll his eyes or laugh, so I went on willingly. "I'm not kidding. I met them earlier, when I was shopping. There are ten of them and the three main ones are Jacob, Sam, and Seth. They wanted me to go to a club with them, and when I went in, it was a trap. It was deserted—the club was on Jacksonburg Street. They explained what they were…who they were. They were so fast and I ran out screaming, directly into the traffic. It slowed them down a little bit, and I went into the alleys. I was screaming for help but nobody offered…"

"Of course not. It's a city—but I'm _so_ glad you remembered my number. I'm not sure, in this instance, that it was the best move. I'm so glad we're nearly back to my house….I can't take this much longer."

"Take what?" I asked slowly.

"Bella," The car stopped and he yanked out the keys, leaving his door open as he walked around to open mine—like a gentleman should do. He unbuckled me, his skin cooling mine. My feet were locked, and I couldn't move. Edward chuckled and lifted me into his arms. It felt odd—against my morals, even—to let a stranger pick me up. But he was someone who had just saved my life. The house was too dark for me to see, because it was at least 100 yards away.

Edward tensed, I blinked, and suddenly we were standing in a porch. I hadn't felt the wind ruffle my hair, and nausea wrapped in my stomach. It was the exact same thing that Jacob had done. "I'm a vampire, too."

I screeched, panicking, clawing against his iron arms, and the world spun. I couldn't see anything but blackness.

**Wooo! Second Twilight Fic. This idea has been in my head for a while, and I thought about writing an actual story. But I figured that my ego could use some polishing, so I posted it.**

**Reviews and story alerts, please. ******


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